To the Blue Sea
by MinamiJSakuya
Summary: It's not Ace who meets Sabo at his grave. An unexpected second chance and a hefty price.
1. Chapter 1

**THIS IS THE REVISED VERSION OF CHAPTER 1, FINALLY TO MY SATISFACTION! THE NEXT CHAPTER IS COMING SOON! ABOUT 60%ISH DONE!**

* * *

He slumped down on his knees, the tears flowing freely down his face.

"Ace." he whispered in to the air. Too late, he had been too late. Too late to save his brother, too late to ask for his forgiveness, too late to even see him for the last time. He could only kneel here in front of his grave and call his name to the wind, begging for his forgiveness. Forgiveness for leaving them and letting them think he was dead. Forgiveness for letting Luffy carry the burden of saving Ace all to himself. Forgiveness for being such a bastard of a brother.

"Give him back," he cried head bowed low, "please, I'll do anything, give him back."

He didn't know who he was praying to, and he didn't care. If anyone, anyone could grant his wish, he'd do anything to save Ace.

"Anything is a hefty price human. It is not something one should utter so lightly."

Sabo didn't look up, maybe he had finally gone crazy, but he replied anyways. "I would. Whether I'd be my life or anything else, I would give it without a second thought."

"Your dream, what if the price of your dream, your freedom? You would give up this freedom you have dreamt of all your life and remain with your family on that island? Suffocating everyday, you would not be allowed off of that island, while your brothers travel off to sea, you will be caged, not allowed a step off of that island, from those you ran from. So answer me Outlook Sabo, are you willing to give up your freedom for the life of your brother?"

Sabo didn't even need to think. "Yes"

* * *

Sabo opened his eyes and gasped. Right in front of him was Ace. Not Fire Fist Ace, but a ten year old Portgas D. Ace. He sat up in surprise and to his other side was his little brother Monkey D. Luffy. Not four hundred million berri pirate dubbed Straw Hat Luffy, but his seven year old, cry baby brother. Sabo sat there frozen as Ace stirred as he too sat up rubbing his eyes.

"Sabo? What's wrong?" he slurred sleepily, "You have a bad dream or something?"

Sabo just stared at Ace's face and Ace blinked a surprised and confused look flashing across his face, never having seen such a look on his brother. "Sabo?" He asked in a slightly worried tone. Ace's eyes widened further and he had to push a hand behind him to keep them from falling back on the floor.

"S-Sabo?" Ace asked as he subconsciously wrapped an arm around Sabo's shaking form, who had literally thrown himself at Ace. Sabo didn't respond as he sobbed silently into Ace's shoulders holding him tight.

"Sabo, hey Sabo, what's wrong?" asked Ace as he wrapped his other arm around Sabo. "Did you have a bad dream? Was it a nightmare?"

Sabo shook his head in Ace's shoulder, but held on a little tighter.

'Your alive! Ace! Ace! Ace! Ace!'

Another pair of arms wrapped around him and he didn't need to look to know that the warmth at his back was Luffy.

"Don't worry Sabo," Luffy murmured half asleep. "I'll beat it up with my goum goum pistol."

Sabo couldn't help but chuckle at that. He tried to pull back, but he was sandwiched between Luffy and Ace and could hardly even squirm.

"I'm fine now guys, you can let go now." Sabo chuckled.

There was a small pause as Luffy and Ace showed sign of letting go. "Um, Ace? Luffy?"

*Snore* *Snore*

Sabo blinked as two sets of snores blared next to his ears. He couldn't help but sob out another chuckle as his body shook in between Ace and Luffy.

"Thank you."

* * *

The next two months were like a dream. He'd convinced Ace and Luffy that it had just been a nightmare, but he knew the two of them didn't buy it, but let it drop. He spent every waking and sleeping moment with his two brothers, he knew their days together was numbered. Ace looked suspiciously at him from time to time, but he didn't care. Ace was alive and that's all that mattered. He had only a few months with his brothers and he would squeeze out every minute he could get.

"Sabo."

Sabo looked up. He was sitting at the base of their tree house gently running his had through Luffy's hair as he slept on his lap.

"What is it Ace?"

Ace frowned. "No, the question is, what's wrong with you?"

Sabo smiled. "There's nothing wrong Ace, I'm fine."

Ace sighed sitting down next to him. "I know somethings up Sabo."

Sabo only smiled, but Ace could see it in his eyes. A kind of sadness that he couldn't understand.

"It's okay Ace, really, I'm really happy right now, there's nothing wrong."

"Then why do you look like you'll disappear on us any second?"

Sabo's eyes widened slightly and Ace took his wrist tight in his small hand.

"Promise me, promise you won't disappear, promise we'll go to sea together."

Sabo smiled, making sure no other emotion could be seen in his eyes. "Didn't I already promise that at the cliff?"

"Promise me." Ace insisted his intense eyes boring in to Sabo's eyes.

Sabo looked back into Ace's eyes. He knew this was a promise he could not keep, and knew, even more so now then ever, that he needed to disappear from their lives. Just like he did ten years ago in his past/future life. However, at the same time, Sabo knew Ace wouldn't let up, so he did. Another promise he wouldn't be able to keep, but Ace would live, and that was all that mattered.

"I promise."

* * *

They burnt down the Grey Terminal, he meet Dragon, Luffy's dad again, but this time, he didn't plan to escape.

"Father."

Instead, he asked his father to help him stage his death.

* * *

Sabo watched. He was sure Ace and Luffy wouldn't be able to detect him, he was mentally twenty years old. He watched as Luffy cried and cried after hearing of his death. He watched as Ace cried after he read the letter he had sent. And he cried with them, soundlessly, painfully, he watch and he cried with them.

He didn't return to the forest again until the day of Ace's departure. He watched as Ace departed with a smile on his face. To fulfill his dreams and together with him Sabo's. Sabo will never be free, but through Ace and Luffy, he will live his dreams, and that was enough.

The next time was when Luffy left. Sabo smiled wishfully as he watched Luffy leave, and worried a little for his clumsy little brother, but he knew Ace and his new crew would take care of him.

* * *

After Luffy left, Sabo spent most of his time at the forest and in their little tree house. He brought all of his journals and his few treasures and hid it in the truck of the great tree. Nothing was safe in his house. Not his hat, nor his goggles, or the wanted posters of Ace and Luffy. Instead, he hung the posters around the walls of the tree house, he had every one. The one where Ace was the captain of the Spade Pirates, the one after he joined the White Beard Pirates, the one where be was dubbed "Fire Fist Ace". He was damn proud of his brother for living out his dreams again and Luffy, as he made his way towards Pirate King. Luffy's first wanted poster was right below Ace's first wanted poster, and his second only made him prouder. He put up all of his brother's crew members below his just for the heck of it. The "Black Leg Sanji" one had made him almost burst out into laughter, which was rare, if not at all existent, these days. If he ever met the guy, he would have to thank him, but that wasn't happening, and the thought instantly dampened his mood.

These days, Sabo rarely laughed, more or less smile. He kept up his physical training, just because of a lack of things to do, and his only pleasure these days was reading about his two brothers from the paper the news coos brought. He made clippings of all the articles and pictures he could get and stored them

away with his journals in the tree. He made sure none of this fathers "men" followed him whenever he went out, and it was an easy fit with his haki.

There were several times he had thought of suicide, I'd be easy. A small slit to his throat and he'd be free, but that was meaningless. The price was his freedom, and if he died, he would be free, so no, that was not an option. Living didn't feel like living anymore. He was just a walking corps without a soul wondering around here and there, not hearing the voices around him because they were not the ones he wanted to hear.

But even this small freedom would soon be ripped away from him. Ten years had already passed since the day he had returned from the past and the day of Ace's former "death" was nearing. But this time, Ace had not been caught by Black Beard. No, he won. He took care of Black Bear Pirates and was probably with his crew by now, and that was enough. Ten days after that day was his wedding. His father had finally gotten fed up with Sabo's mysterious disappearances and "rebellious acts" and had gotten him engaged. He didn't care. His adopted brother glared daggers at him when the announcement of his marriage came with the announcement of his inheritance of the Outlook title. He would become the official "heir" after his marriage. Sabo had always been smart and didn't need all that studying Stelly seemed to need to catch up to his parents standards. Truth be told, the only reason he even studies was because it was the one thing he liked he could still do and was allowed and even encouraged to do. During the last ten years of his imprisonment, he had learned more of the so called "nobles ways". He hated it. He followed none of it and it was one thing even his father couldn't make him do which had kept Stelly in the house as his "backup". Sabo personally felt sorry for the boy. To his parents, Stelly was only that, a replacement.

Sabo knew he would be forced to marry some stuck up noble woman someday and was just glad he had been able to see Ace and Luffy depart from the island. At least they won't ever have to know that he was again, a bird stuck in a cage. But he was a content bird, because his brothers were at least free from that cage. He had to be. Ace would prove his existence to the world as Fire Fist, Portgas D. Ace, and Luffy, Luffy would become the Pirate King. He would always be physically here on this island, but his heart would always be free. With them.

* * *

He froze. His mouth open wide, a drumstick centimeters from his mouth. The drumstick fell from his suddenly weak grip and he stared wide eyed into space as memories foreign to him ran through his head.

"Ace?" His crew members called him, but he couldn't hear.

It was his execution. His father, White Bear, and his brothers, his crew, where there fighting to set him free. Luffy had joined sometime later and he had shouted at his stupid little brother to leave. Luffy saved him, but he saw how Akinu baited him and he turned to fight, completely neglecting Luffy. And he watched as he died in front of Luffy's eyes a melting hold in his chest. Then the scene shifted. A small meadow with two graves. One with the name Edward Newgate and the other with his own, Portgas D. Ace. A figure in blue with a top had came into view. He stood in front of Ace's grave for a moment then

slumped down on to his knees. The view point shifted and he could finally see the face of the man with the top hat. It was Sabo. Sabo was crying in front of his grave calling his name. He wanted to reach out, tell him he was here, but he could only watch as a mysterious figure appeared before him and Sabo asked the stranger to give back Ace in exchange... for his freedom.

Then it shifted into a familiar scenes. Sabo woke up, ten again, and hugged Ace and cried. The days they spent laughing and laughing. The day of the burning of the Grey Terminal. The days Luffy cried. The day Ace cried. The day Ace left. The day Luffy left. He saw it all in Sabo's perspective. The wanted posters in the tree house. The top hat, goggles, and journals stashed in the tree like the treasures they used to store. And finally the day Sabo's father announced his marriage to a Sabo who looked like he had lost all life. A Sabo only in body who's former cheerful spirit was nowhere to be found.

Ace shot out of his seat surprising his crew mates that were looking both worriedly and curiously at him.

"What's wrong Ace?" asked Marco.

"The bastard." whispered Ace.

"What?"

But Ace was already gone. He rushed to his room grabbing his stuff, and ran to his boat. He had to make it to Sabo before the wedding.

"Ace." a gentle yet powerful voice called, and he stopped midway to releasing the boat on to the sea.

"Where are you going Ace?"

"Oyaji... I'm going to save my brother."

"The Straw hat brat?"

Ace smiled and shook his head. "A once dead brother of mine."

White Bear looked into Ace's eyes, then nodded, giving permission, and Ace was off speeding towards East Blue. It didn't surprise him to run in to his little brother's ship on the way there. (Pretend they didn't get blasted to different islands yet, or something. Better yet, they haven't gotten to Shabondy Shoto yet.)

"Ace!" Luffy called as Ace landed on the Thousand Island Sunny.

"Luffy, did you?"

Luffy nodded his head vigorously. "Sabo."

Ace couldn't help but stiffen. It was true. What he had seen. If Luffy had seen it too, then it had to be. Then that meant Sabo never died. That meant he had given up his dreams, his freedom to save him without a second thought. The stupid bastard.

"I'm going to beat the shit out of him."

Luffy laughed tearing up as he bear hugged Ace. "Sabo! Sabo's alive! Sabo!"

The Straw Hat crews looked on completely confused, but they made haste to East Blue anyways. They had somehow gotten a hold of some sea stones, and Franky had installed them to the bottom of the sea so they could cross the Clam Belt.

* * *

Sabo looked out to the sea. He didn't dare wish to be there in the open sea again, for fear that it might bring Ace's death. As long as he stayed put, Ace would be okay, and Ace would make sure Luffy was okay. Today was the day of his wedding and he was dressed in a dark blue tuxedo, his top hat stubbornly stuck firm on his head and his goggles put away in his pocket. He couldn't even remember his brides name and that seemed cruel, but in the end it didn't matter. She would only be his new shackles. He didn't hate her. On one hand, he was thankful. It was one more thing that would tie him down in his cage. He wouldn't be able to leave after his marriage, even if he wanted to, not that he ever would. Ace was too important for that. His life too important that it would be thrown away the moment he carelessly set out to sea.

"Sabo, it's time." called his mother and Sabo stood up slowly, taking one last glance at the ocean.

Ace and Luffy ran. They had no idea where Sabo's wedding was being held, but they had a feeling. A feeling that this was the right way. They shoved pass shouting people and heard some women screech about Ace's attire, but they didn't care. They ran and ran and barged through the door knocking it down just as the vows were being made.

"SABO!" the two brother's yelled simultaneously.

Sabo, was to say, surprised beyond words. He stood there in front of the priest about to pledge his life to this unknown woman and the doors to the chapel burst open with a call of his name from the two most important people in his life.

The two gasped trying to catch their breath and both stretched out a hand towards him, the other on their knees. Ace and Luffy grinned tears visible in their eyes.

"Lets go."

Sabo looked on eyes wide in surprise. He wanted to, he desperately wanted to, but what about Ace? What would happen to Ace if he went with them.

Ace rolled his eyes, guessing what was passing through Sabo's head at that moment. "Baka, I won't die, so come. This time for sure, lets go together, to the sea."

Sabo couldn't, he couldn't. He was about to shout in there face to leave, but stumbled forward to an unexpected shove to his back.

"Go," a voice whispered. "I have received the last ten years of your freedom. Go, live freely with your brothers."

He didn't need any more motivation. He ran. A true smile breaking out on his face, the first since he left Ace and Luffy in the forest to return to his prison, his cage. Sabo vaguely heard the cries of his father and

mother in the back ground, but he didn't care. He grabbed hold of Ace and Luffy's hand and ran laughing together for the first time in ten years.

Soldiers came to stop them standing between them and the Sunny Go, but they were no match for the brothers as they rammed through the troops. They landed on the Sunny Go and fell back on the grass exhausted mentally and physically, as Franky coup de booed them away from the island. The last thing Sabo heard was his father saying he was disowned and he couldn't help but laugh hysterically. He was free.

He pulled out the goggles from his pocket and put it back on its rightful place, stared at it in gleeful wonder for a moment, then shoved the top hat firmly back on place, a wide grin spreading across his face.

A pair of arms wrapped around him and a face buried itself in his shoulders shaking slightly, and another pair copied him and did the same. Sabo wrapped his arms around Ace and Luffy staring up at the blue sky tears streaming down his face.

"I'm home."

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW/COMMENT AND FAVORITE IF YOU LIKED IT!**


	2. Chapter 2

**WARNING! MIGHT LOOK SLIGHTLY LIKE IMPLIED ACE/SABO!**

**Mistakes and errors, ignore them, I'm too lazy to correct now.**

**Thanks for reading.**

* * *

"I'm going to beat the shit out of you." Ace growled in to Sabo's shoulder and Sabo laughed breathlessly.

"After I catch my breath." replied Sabo, "I'll entertain you."

Ace growled sitting up abruptly, Luffy stayed, his limbs literally wrapped around Sabo making him unable to move.

Ace threw a fist aimed at Sabo's head, but Sabo rolled to the side with Luffy, somehow managing to stand up. Luffy pouted, and reluctantly untangled himself at Sabo's gentle touch to his shoulder, and went to stand with his crew. He knew Ace and Sabo needed this.

Unsurprising to Ace and Luffy, but not the other Straw Hat crew, they watched as the two brothers traded blow for blow. Sabo was hitting the logia user which confused the crew greatly. An hour passed before the two brothers flopped on their back exhausted. (I'm sorry, I suck at fight scenes. I'd tots take one if someone wrote the part out for me thought! ^^)

"W-What the heck." Gasped Ace, trying to catch his breath. "You know haki."

"I *gasp* haven't been rolling around *gasp* since you left, you know."

Ace snorted. "I thought you'd be a fatty like your dad."

Sabo wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ugg, eww, that's disgusting, no way."

Ace chuckled at Sabo's expression and tone. Ace sat up as Sabo did, and Sabo's eyes widened in surprise as Ace pulled him into a tight hug, Luffy tackling him from the back.

"We missed you." They both whispered into his ear, and he couldn't hold back the tear that had been threatening to spill the moment Ace's fist had connected with his stomach, an almost pleasant ting of pain spreading across this stomach. Pain meant this wasn't a dream, pain meant this was real, pain meant he was free, finally free and together with his brothers.

A sniffle from Sabo caused a chain reaction. Luffy broke out in wails, and Ace and Sabo in quiet sobs. The crew had already disappeared in to the kitchen to give the brothers some privacy. The three brothers sat there in each other's embrace, crying, and by the time they had quieted, Luffy almost lulled to sleep, the sun was going down in the horizon.

"Thank you." Sabo said suddenly, the gentle smile audible in his voice. The two tightened their hold for a moment before they let go. Sabo gathered Luffy in his arms, Luffy's legs coming to wrap around his waist, his arms around his neck as he fell asleep. Ace led his little brothers to the sleeping area, and helped Sabo untangle Luffy from his body and tuck him in.

Ace watched as Sabo brushed back Luffy's hair and placed a kiss on his brow. "Love you" he whispered with a smile. Sabo caught Ace looking from the corner of his eyes, grinned, and placed a peck on Ace's cheeks, grinning wider when Ace blushed red. His smile softened as he whispered, "Love you too. I missed you both."

Ace hugged Sabo for another long five seconds before mimicking Sabo and placed a kiss on his cheek. Sabo almost didn't catch the soft "Love you" Ace breathed out, and grinned when he did.

"I knew you had a brother complex."

Sabo ran out of the room laughing as an angry red faced Fire Fist Ace chased him around deck much to the other crews amusement.

Sabo abruptly stopped in front of a fidgeting tonakai, tilting his head in question. Ace also stopped next to Sabo looking questioningly at the tanuki as he noogied his brother.

"Is something the matter tonakai-san?" Asked Sabo.

"I'm not a tonakai, I'm a tanuki... no wait, I'm a tonakai... you can tell that I'm a tonakai?!" Chopper asked with wonder in his eyes.

Sabo smiled, tilting his head in confusion. "Why wouldn't I? Tanukis don't have cute little antlers like you do." Giving said antlers a teasing poke.

"I-I-I'm not happy even if you call my antlers cute!" Exclaimed Chopper, doing his little happy dance, and the two brothers sweat dropped.

'He's definitely happy.'

"So, what is it?" Asked Ace.

"I-I'm Chopper! I'm the doctor of this ship! You two are injured! I-I can take care of it if you want!" Said a nervous looking Chopper presenting a medicine box.

Sabo looked from surprised to amused, chuckling lightly. "Thanks Chopper-san, but if it's not too much to ask, I'd like to wash up before you apply those bandages.

Chopper smiled nodding. "That would be best."

Nami lead Sabo to the bath, Ace following right behind him.

"Wow, nice." Whistled Sabo, Ace nodded agreement looking around. Sabo glanced back perking an eye brow at his brother. "Are you going to follow me everywhere?"

"I need to wash my wounds too, might as well take a bath while I'm at it." shrugged Ace.

Sabo didn't buy it, but ignored it anyways. The bath somehow turned into their usual water fight with Luffy jumping in fully clothed about five minutes into their "bath". The three brothers came out, Sabo and Ace feeling more tired than refreshed, dragging a weak Luffy behind them, as they made their way to Chopper's room.

"Oh, you don't look so bad there." said Sanji, Sabo had borrowed a shirt and a pair of pants from the other blond.

"Thanks again for the clothes Sanji-san."

Sanji waved away the thanks. "Just Sanji's fine."

Sabo nodded smiling. "Sabo for me then."

Sanji smiled. "Dinner will be soon, any requests?"

Sabo chuckled at Luffy's drooling face. "I'll leave it up to the cook."

"Sanji, meat!" Luffy yelled out as usual."

"Hai, hai." sighed Sanji.

'This is definitely Luffy's brother.' The crew thought as the three brothers broke out into an all-out war over the dinner table. There were times they noticed Sabo looked half way to tears choking on his food, before Ace or Luffy gave him a hard pat on the back, then they resumed liked nothing had happened.

"Ha~, man that was some good food." sighed Sabo sitting back with a hand on his blotted stomach. "It's been a long time since I've eaten so much. That was absolutely delicious, thanks Sanji." Sanji ducked his head grinning around the tobacco in his mouth at the praise.

"Just doing my job."

"Sabo, your appetite has shrunk!" yelled Luffy frowning, still stuffing his face with Ace.

Sabo tensed for all but a millisecond, but the two brothers saw and abruptly paused in their eating. Luffy's frown deepened and Ace out right glared daggers into Sabo who was making a point of not meeting their eyes.

"It's your appetites that have grown."

Ace continued glaring and Luffy frowning. As true as that might be, and they would have bought it if it hadn't been the small freeze.

Sabo made the mistake of glancing at his brothers and sighed. "It's nothing much, I just... didn't have much of an appetite since... for some time. And you know where I lived, I can't really go stuffing my face there now can I?"

Luffy and Ace frowned. They knew there was something more that the blond wasn't spitting out, but one look at Sabo's almost pleading face, and they let it drop going back to their food, leaving an ever confused Straw Hat crew staring at the brothers.

Sabo held in his gasp as he woke up with a jolt. He looked around frantically and calmed slightly when he saw Ace's sleeping face to his right and Luffy to his left. It was a dream, this was real, he really was here, out on sea, with his brothers. This was real. He couldn't hold back the sigh of relief that burst out of his lungs followed by fresh tears. Damn it, he shouldn't be crying like this, he was twenty for pete's sake. He wiped away his tears, only for fresh new tears to replace them. He sighed and dropped his hands letting the tears make their path down his face as he listened to the calm waves of the ocean and the breathing of his brothers next to him. He figured his tears where all of fear, relief, and happiness. He had bottled up these tears for such a long time, it just seemed it wouldn't end until it was all released. At least Ace and Luffy were still asleep.

Sabo sighed again. He's eyes would be red in the morning and Ace and Luffy would persistently ask why. Maybe if he didn't rub at it and dabbed, it would be better... ugg, that sounded like a damn noble. Screw the questions, he was going to rub them mercilessly.

A hand appeared in front of him and placed itself gently on his face making him almost jump up in surprise. Sabo turned surprised eyes to the hand's owner.

"Why are you crying." asked Ace as he whipped the tears away with his thumb, and to Sabo's amazement, they stopped.

"Cuze they wouldn't stop?"

Ace snorted softly whipping the other side of his face. He then gently tugged Sabo towards him placing him under his head, an arm around his waist.

"Um, Ace?"

"Mmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Go to sleep bastard, I'm not going anywhere."

Sabo was silent at that comment. "Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"

Ace hummed his agreement, which vibrated through his whole body. "I'm not letting you go anywhere, and my little brother seemed to need to hear it more than I did."

Sabo shook softly almost bursting in to tears again. Damn he was an emotional wreck.

"This time," Sabo whispered, curling in a little closer, "this time for sure, I promise, I won't leave."

Ace smiled as he fell asleep, and Luffy must have heard them, because the next moment, he was curled against Sabo's back his own arms around Sabo.

"We'll keep you to it."

The next afternoon, the Straw Hat Crew found the brothers on the deck napping. Ace was laying on one lap and Luffy the other, as Sabo sat back against the mast, gently running his fingers through dark strands of hair.

"It's a little chilly out today, should I get you guys a blanket?" asked Robin as she passed.

Sabo smiled shaking his head. "We're fine, Ace works like a personal heater, so its nice and toasty near him."

Robin chuckled and Sabo chuckled with her running his hands through Ace's hair looking down at his freckled brother in amusement. Ace would have definitely punched him if he heard him calling him his personal heater.

The rest of their stay with Luffy and his crew was fun, the most fun he'd in ten years. It felt nice to laugh out loud again, to openly grin, and the presence of his brothers constantly warmed his formerly cold heart. Sabo felt warm and alive and everything else he couldn't feel back on the island, and he knew the Boa Kingdom would never be his home. His home was here with his brothers.

Meeting Luffy's crew instantly quelled any worries he'd formerly had of his little brothers. They were strong, both in heart and in body, loyal, kind, and fun. Most of all, they knew how to deal with Luffy to a manageable extent. Luffy was in good hands, and he knew Ace agreed with him.

"He's mine!" Luffy yelled as he tugged on Sabo's left arm.

"No, he's mine! He's coming with me!" Ace exclaimed on the other side pulling on Sabo's right arm.

"Sabo's staying with my crew!"

"No he's not! He's going with my crew!"

"Mine!"

"No, mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

"Guys! That hurts!" Sabo exclaimed from in between and sighed in relief when he was released. He rubbed his sore arms and he looked between the arguing brothers.

"Sorry Luffy, but I'm going with Ace."

"What?! Why?! Sabo, do you really have to go?" Luffy whined with a pout as he, again, hung from Sabo's arm. Luffy had been literally stuck to Sabo for the last week and Ace was always hovering over his two brothers. The Straw Hat crew where amazed the two brothers, especially Sabo, could deal with the rubber boy for a week straight without a single break, it was an amazing feet seeing as this was their, at times annoying, captain. Luffy had literally glued himself to Sabo, sleeping together, eating together, bathing together, talking non-stop. They never knew their captain could be such a motor mouth. The crew had joined from time to time getting more closer to both Ace and Sabo in that week, but the patience Sabo showed with not only Luffy, but with Ace, made them respect the blond even more.

"Why can't you stay with my crew, why Ace?"

Sabo smiled gently ruffling Luffy's hair gently. Another thing that surprised the crew. Luffy had worn his straw hat behind his neck the whole week. "You're going to become the Pirate King right?"

Luffy nodded grinning.

"Then I can't."

Luffy frowned. "Why?"

"Because if I'm here, I'll only pamper you and try to keep you out of dangerous situations. Now, you can't become the Pirate King when I'm trying to keep you away from all those dangerous adventures now will you?"

Luffy's frown loosened up a little, but he still pouted. A moment passed before he relented, sighing. Sabo smiled and pulled both Luffy and Ace into a hug. "We'll definitely meet again, the sea connects us, you've always been with me and I'll always be there besides you, even when I'm not."

Luffy and Ace grinned as they said in unison. "Always."

* * *

"Oyaji, let me introduce Sabo, my other little brother."

The Whitebeard pirates stared wide eyed. Ace had returned a week and three days after his sudden departure to turn up with a handsome blond. He'd gone up straight to Whitebeard dragging said, flustered looking blond by the hand and dropped the bomb in front of Whitebeard.

"I thought your brother was Straw hat, yoi." Marco asked with perked eyebrows.

"Yep, and this is my other little brother, Sabo. Long story short, we thought he was dead ten years ago, but it turns out he was alive! Not to mention literally trapped on the island."

Everyone was staring at Sabo and he struggled not to fidget under their gaze.

Ace gave Sabo a little shove and he came to stand in front of Whitebeard's looming figure.

"Hello Whitebeard-san," he introduced himself forcing down the urge to gulp loudly. "I'm Sabo, Luffy and Ace's brother."

Whitebeard didn't respond, and the whole boat was silent as Whitebeard stared in to Sabo's eyes and Sabo didn't dare look away. He'd known Dragon, but this old man was on a totally different scale. Whitebeard suddenly smiled gently and Sabo blinked in surprise.

"You can call me Oyaji son. Any brother of Ace is my son."

Sabo gaped at the giant man in complete surprise. "Wha-, but-"

Ace gave Sabo a hard pat on the back. "Even if you are going to go back to the revolutionaries, you aren't going back yet. You're not leaving my sight for a while, so just get used to it."

Sabo gaped back and forth from Ace to Whitebeard suddenly feeling overwhelmed. "Oyaji", it was something Sabo had never dreamed calling anyone, let alone having. It was always "father" to the man who he'd never considered to be his father, and suddenly having someone calling him son, and offering something of a family was overwhelming. He almost gave in to the urge to grab on to Ace's pants and just hid behind him for no good reason and blushed slightly looking down as he muttered, "T-Thank you."

A large hand landed on his head making him jump, but it only gently ruffled his golden locks and he stared up at the gently smiling man in a sort of confused awe. Ace's arms wrapped around his shoulders as soon as the large hand disappeared and he subconsciously leaned in to the warmth, feeling safe and happy. As much as he knew he had a duty in the revolutionary army, not that they knew of it, he didn't want to leave his brother. He wanted to change the world, fight against the corrupt nobles, and he wanted to stay right there with his brother. His first dream, to travel the sea as a pirate and to write his adventures.

Ace seemed to have caught up on Sabo's confusion and quirked his head to the side in a silent question, but Sabo just shook his head. Ace had already told him he had time to think things over. Sabo smiled as he was dragged around deck being introduced to whomever they passed.

Sabo did not want to tell Ace about his depression during his "imprisonment" on the island, as Ace called it, for the last ten years. He would only blame himself and Sabo didn't want to make Ace feel sad or guilty. If Ace ever figured out there was a phase where Sabo refused to eat and starved himself, or the times he had slit his wrist, or downed too many sleeping pills… Ace would go ballistic. It was thank god he always wore long sleeves and a glove that effectively covered the scars on his wrist. The scars had mostly faded over the years, but if one looked too closely, they would clearly see the signs of his former depression.

However, Ace wouldn't let up. He kept bugging Sabo on why he'd tensed that first time they'd eaten on Luffy's ship and wouldn't take "It was no big deal" or "It's nothing, really" for an answer. So, again, today as usual, the Whitebeard crew looked on in amazement while Ace interrogated his brother and Sabo refused to talk. Some were impressed there was actually someone more stubborn than Ace. The interrogations had often times led to a few fist fights which also erased all doubts any of the Whitebeard pirates might have had on Sabo's strength, seeing as he had no bounty and had never left his home island.

Today was not a good day for Sabo, or night. He was sitting on the figure head staring out at the calm sea a full moon over head illuminating both the sea and the blond. Everyone was asleep, but Sabo had another one of his nightmares. Not wanting to wake Ace who just seemed to know every time Sabo was in distress when he was near, he had silently gotten up and up to his perch. He could never stop the tears after the dreams. He shivered violently as a particularly bad one flashed past his head pulling his knees up closer as he buried his head on his knees, his pants slowly soaking in his tears.

Sabo startled when two strong, warm arms wrapped around him from behind and he looked back to see Ace's worried face behind him.

"Ace."

"Are you okay Sabo? What's wrong, why are you out here by yourself, and why are you crying?"

"I'm fine Ace," Sabo whispered leaning back in to the warmth, staring out at the sea which constantly reminded him and reassured him that he was really here and not back in his cage. "it was just a nightmare."

Sabo felt Ace's breath on his neck as he sighed and Ace tightened his arms a little more.

"Why won't you tell me Sabo?"

"What's there to tell? I'm just having a hard time believing I'm really out at sea again, nothing more and nothing less." Sabo felt guilty about lying to Ace, but he didn't want to hurt Ace.

"Stop lying to me Sabo." Ace whispered a tinge of sorrow in his voice which made Sabo sad. "I know when you're lying. Nobody else might, but I know when you're lying to me."

Sabo didn't meet Ace's eyes, and brought up a hand to whip away his tears. A gasp sounded behind him and he was abruptly turned around as Ace took a hold of both of his wrist. Sabo's eyes widened as he realized he didn't have his gloves and what Ace had seen. He tried to pull away and run, but Ace had an iron hold on his wrist.

"Wha-When-What happened?" Ace hissed anger in his eyes. "Why, why would you… did you try to kill yourself?"

Sabo didn't answer, not meeting Ace's burning gaze as he bit down on his bottom lip.

"Answer me Sabo!" Ace hissed his voice climbing, then falling in to a whisper, "Did you really try to kill yourself?!"

Sabo made the mistake of looking in to Ace's face that was mere centimeters away from him and he dropped his gaze in shame as a soft, "Yes" escaped his mouth.

Ace's body went ridged as he stared at Sabo, wide eyed and open mouth. There was anger and fear in the freckled man's eyes as he stared at his brother.

"Why?" He finally asked.

"It-It was nothing Ace," replied Sabo. "I was just depressed I guess, and wasn't thinking straight. It was nothing really."

"Nothing?" Ace asked in disbelief. "You're telling me you tried to take your own life multiple times and you're telling me it was nothing?! Tell me! Why did you cut yourself?!"

Sabo's hold on his bottom lip hardened and he could taste blood in his mouth from the new wound on his lip. He couldn't tell Ace he had felt so lonely after Ace and Luffy had left the island, he had literally given up on living.

"Was-Was it because of us? Because of me?" Ace asked in a hesitant, pained voice and Sabo looked up in surprise before quickly looking away, stuttering a "N-No". That was answer enough for Ace. Not only had he taken away ten years of his brother's life, it had drove Sabo to depression and suicide.

Tears gathered up in Ace's eyes and Sabo peaked when Ace's grip on his wrists loosened. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Ace's anguished face and the tears gather up in Ace's eyes.

"A-Ace! No! It wasn't yours, Luffy's, or anyone's fault! I-I was just being stupid, really! Ace, Ace, don't cry, it wasn't your fault, really." Sabo begged his brother with anguished, guilt ridden eyes. He never wanted to see Ace like this. It pained him more than the days in his cage.

Sabo pulled Ace in to a hug, and Ace automatically wrapped his arms tightly around Sabo as if he was never going to let him go.

"Ace, please don't cry, it wasn't your fault, don't cry."

"But it was." Ace chocked. "If-If I had been stronger then, if I had been able to defeat Teach the first time. If I hadn't died, Luffy wouldn't have had to go through that pain, and you wouldn't have had to make that decision."

Sabo caressed his fingers through Ace's hair, "But you did defeat Teach this time, you won. I would give my life in a heartbeat if it meant saving you Ace, and I don't regret it, never will, and I would have made the same decision, over and over again, if I had to."

"But it hurt you."

Sabo was silent for a moment. He couldn't lie anymore, he realized, it wouldn't solve anything.

"It wasn't easy living on that island without you guys, but that wasn't your fault Ace." Sabo lifted Ace's face, a hand under Ace's chin to lift it to meet his eyes. "It was my choice and mine alone. You made your choices and mistakes, and I made mine."

Ace stared in to those mesmerizing blue orbs for a moment before he pulled Sabo into another embrace. "Promise me."

"Hmm?" Sabo hummed.

"Promise me you won't carry these burdens, these pains alone." Ace whispered in to Sabo's ears. "Promise you'll let me carry it with you from now on. Don't lie to me, don't hide it from me. Tell me everything, rely on me, promise."

Sabo couldn't hold back the fresh tears that overcame him as he buried his head into Ace's shoulder.

"I promise."

* * *

**THE END.**

**Had like no where else to go from here, so, the end! It was actually suppose to be just Chapter 1, but I wanted to write Sabo's angst further. Teehee?**


End file.
